Campus Alert Archive
USC

Bicycle, Bushes, and a Knife on Flower Street: USC's Pre-Dawn Robbery and Attempted Rape Alert

CAsexual assaulttimely warninghigh confidence
Under Investigation

The USC Department of Public Safety issued a timely warning after a robbery and attempted rape occurred at 2:59 a.m. on March 18, 2024, in front of the John & Alice Tyler Building at 3601 Flower Street on the University Park Campus. A non-USC victim walking on Flower Street was approached by a suspect on a bicycle, who pushed the victim toward a nearby bush and attempted to remove the victim's pants at knife point. A passerby heard the victim scream, intervened, and the suspect fled eastbound on Flower Street under the 110 Freeway overpass with the victim's cell phone.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Institution
University of Southern California
Private R1 · CA
~49,500 studentsTrojansAlert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimUSC Department of Public Safety Timely Warnings Archive1759 chars
USC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TIMELY WARNING Incident: Robbery and Attempted Rape Date/Time of Occurrence: 03/18/2024, 2:59 AM Location: In front of the John & Alice Tyler Building located at 3601 Flower Street While walking on Flower Street, a non-USC victim was approached by a suspect on a bicycle, who pushed the victim towards a nearby bush where he attempted to remove the victim's pants at knife point. A passerby heard the victim scream for help and intervened, which caused the suspect to stop his attack. The suspect took the victim's cell phone and left on his bicycle going eastbound on Flower Street under the 110 Freeway overpass. The Clery Act requires that USC notify the public of certain crimes which occur within Clery-designated geography. These reports are called Timely Warnings. When a criminal incident occurs within USC's Clery Geography that represents a serious or continuing threat to the safety of students, employees, and others, DPS issues a Timely Warning in compliance with the Clery Act. The purpose of this warning is to aid in the prevention of similar crimes by alerting the community about the incident and to provide information which allows individuals to make informed decisions about their personal safety. Safety Recommendations: - Walk in groups, especially at night - Be aware of your surroundings at all times - If you feel threatened, call DPS immediately - Use Campus Cruiser or Lyft ride services provided by USC - Report suspicious activity to DPS If you have information relevant to the crime(s) reflected in this alert, immediately call DPS at (213) 740-6000 for the University Park Campus (UPC), (323) 442-1000 for the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) or (213) 485-6571 for the LAPD Southwest Division.
The incident occurred at 2:59 a.m., during the highest-risk window for campus sexual assaults, when fewer witnesses and safety escorts are available
USC discloses that the victim was 'non-USC' — language commonly used in DPS bulletins for incidents within Clery geography but involving community members who are not USC students or employees
The alert details the suspect's MO (bicycle approach, pushed victim into bushes, knife point) — atypically specific for a sexual-assault Clery alert because the suspect was a stranger and the bystander intervention provided witness detail
A passerby's intervention was decisive in stopping the attack — the alert preserves this fact, modeling bystander response without making it a generic safety tip
References USC's Campus Cruiser and Lyft ride services as preventive resources, reflecting the university's investment in late-night transportation alternatives
Context

Background

This timely warning documents a stranger attack that escalated from an attempted rape at knife point to a robbery outside the John & Alice Tyler Building at 3601 Flower Street on USC's University Park Campus. The 2:59 a.m. incident — during the highest-risk window for campus assaults — was halted only when a passerby heard the victim scream and intervened, prompting the suspect to flee on his bicycle eastbound under the 110 Freeway) overpass with the victim's cell phone. USC discloses that the victim was a non-USC community member, a category USC's DPS routinely identifies in Clery alerts when an incident occurs within the university's Clery geography but involves someone outside the campus population. USC maintains one of the most extensive timely warning archives among private universities, publishing each alert as a permanent web page with the full incident description rather than only the boilerplate. The area around USC's University Park Campus in South Los Angeles has historically been a focus of campus safety concerns, and the university has invested in security infrastructure and ride services to mitigate risks.
Outcome
Investigation opened by USC DPS and LAPD Southwest Division. No immediate arrest reported.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    USC DPS - Robbery and Attempted Rape Timely Warning
    dps.usc.edu
  2. Official
    USC Department of Public Safety - Clery and Crime Alerts
    dps.usc.edu
Tags
timely-warningsexual-assaultrobberyattempted-rapecaliforniaprivate-universitylate-nightUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion